These Wings That Carry Me

I might be on to something..

As mentioned in many of my previous posts, I’m struggling to figure out what I want to do in terms of a career in the future. Here’s a few ideas that I’ve considered pursuing:

- construction/real estate development management. I would have to finish my degree and pursue an additional designation and start at an entry level.

- start a daycare after having kids so that I could be a stay-at-home mom. This is a pretty lofty idea, and I’m not sure I would want to be surrounded by kids all day every day.

- Transitioning services for seniors once they sell their homes or move into assisted living facilities.

Each idea has various levels of feasibility, and I’m not sure any would be the right fit for me. I’ve been searching my brain though and checking job postings to see what interests me.

An old idea has come back to me!

About 7-8 years ago I worked on a clean-up project at a job where my manager (at the time) and I worked tirelessly for months to find millions of dollars in “missing” inventory. We became friends through the process and have stayed friends since then. What we both took away from the project was that we love to fix things. We discussed the idea to potentially do corporate audits for companies that want to increase revenue or fix various problems that they were dealing with. It was just an idea at the time though, and one that we’ve revisited pretty much every time we’ve met since I left that job.

I’m thinking about that idea again. I have a larger network of professionals now: someone in real estate and construction, that old boss that is in business management, someone with money to invest or buy companies, a few accountants, a few software developers, a sales professional, and a CFO that works with international businesses all come to mind. What would I bring to the table? Well I would be the organizer/manager of the group.

It’s a lofty goal for sure. Would everyone mentioned above want to help me? I’m not sure. Perhaps I would offer more of a referral service for various business consultants. This would be a few years down the road for sure. I’d need to finish my undergraduate degree for sure, and probably complete an MBA or some other masters program. Considering that I’m already 28 and haven’t finished my undergrad that definitely seems like more work than I’m used to. But perhaps knowing that I’m actually working towards something would be a good motivation?

I would also have to network my face off, get to know a lot of business owners in different sectors.. It would be a business based on referrals for sure. This is where my current boss might actually be my saving grace. He knows so many of the bigwigs in Vancouver and could easily introduce me to them. He’s also part of a large international organization of entrepreneurs. Would I have to partner with him in some form? I might have to, and it might be in my best interest.

But guys, this is the first exciting thought I’ve had in a long time! I could be my own boss just as I’ve always wanted to be. I could be involved in hugely exciting and potentially profitable projects. I could save companies!

This could just be the beginning of my dream career. Or it could fizzle and fade and be nothing. I’m going to hope for the former. I’m going to put my efforts into finishing school. And I’m going to keep thinking about this dream.

Does anybody know of any companies like the one I’ve described? Anybody have any thoughts on this idea or any advice? Am I crazy to even think of this?

How Do I Find My Passion?

Well I’m back from Vegas! It was great fun but I spent way too much. I hope to do a recap soon.

I’m back to reality now, and back to work. Back to struggling. The real problem for me is that I don’t know where I’m going. I don’t have a real career, and I don’t know what I’m working towards. I don’t want to be a glorified administrative assistant forever. I want to run a company or be in charge of something. But what is that something? I just don’t know.

When I hear or read “follow your passion”, I have no idea what that means for me personally. What do I like to do? Watch TV, read blogs, read books, look at style/shopping sites and magazines, go out for meals, bake, spend time with family and friends, go to movies etc. I also love to travel and I’m interested in learning how to cook. How do I turn any of that into a fulfilling career?

If I won the lottery I would probably invest a good portion of the money and go back to school. I would study different things to see what interests me the most. I’d like to start a business, but I don’t know what kind. I’ve always dreamed of being my own boss and setting my own hours, but I just don’t know how to make that happen.

Has anyone been in a similar boat? Does anyone have advice as to how to figure it out? I feel like I’m going to be a perpetual first year college student that changes her major every semester. Every semester is going to turn into the rest of my life. I want to leave my mark on the professional world.

I’m just waiting for that lightbulb moment of clarity. Any psychics reading?

Thirty Before Thirty

I love lists. I love goals. And I love to procrastinate as you likely already know. So here’s my list of 30 things to accomplish before I turn 30 in less than two years:

Finish my Bachelor of Commerce degree;
Roam the streets of Venice;
Get engaged;
Have enough money saved for my wedding so that I don’t go into debt;
Get married and have a great celebration without a ridiculous price tag;
Figure out my passion in life / my future direction;
Pay off all my credit cards (1 of 3 down so far);
Break into the 6 figure annual income bracket one way or another;
Read at least 5 of the classics (not including the ones that I’ve already read);
Be able to say with confidence that “I can cook”;
Take a bike ride in Tuscany;
Tan on the beach of a Greek island;
Reach my goal weight and maintain it;
Be a regular exerciser in some form (spin, hiking, jogging, whatever – just something);
Pay off my car loan;
Become less of a procrastinator (this will be tough and hard to measure but is so so important);
Make some new good friends. The kind I call/text/see regularly;
Do something truly generous and selfless for my parents;
Stop watching tv for 30 days;
See a Broadway show;
See the Cirque du Soleil show “O”;
Donate 30 hours of my time to a good cause;
Go to Hawaii (this is a bit of a cheat as I received a ticket to Hawaii from my love for Valentine’s Day);
Put the effort in to become a real blogger. Learn the ins and outs;
Connect with at least 5 people from the blogosphere offline/in real life;
Do the Grouse Grind at least 10 times (not counting the times I have already done it). It’s a local hike that most/all Vancouverites are familiar with;
Take another trip to Costa Rica to see my sister;
Work on my relationship so that it becomes the best that it can possibly be;
See a nutritionist and figure out the best lifestyle diet that I can maintain;
Continue to be happy and feel blessed and to remind myself how grateful I am for the life that I have and all the people that are in it.

This is kind of a rough draft. It might change. I might add more. It may change to a bucket list as I approach the deadline of turning 30.

You might have noticed that a lot of it is travel related. Travel is hugely important to me, especially before having kids. Of course I would still want to travel after having children, and show the world to my children (I don’t want them to grow up without travel like I did), but as I’m still in the selfish stage of life where it’s all about me to a large extent, I want carefree adventures where I can drink and indulge too much without worrying about anyone but myself.

Anyone else out there with similar goals/dreams? I’d love to know what’s on your bucket list!

25 Random Things About Me

I feel like I haven’t quite figured out what I want to do with this blog… how to share what I like/love/can’t stand, to share myself with the world in a way. Really what I want is to connect. So I thought I’d share some more about myself.

To that end, in no particular order, here’s a list of 25 random things about me:

I’m the epitome of a crash dieter. 10 days until Vegas and I’m doing the Slim Fast plan. I’ve used it in the past and it works for me. Gotta figure out a better solution long-term, but I have a problem with loving junk food and being lazy.
I was hit by a semi-truck when I was 19. It was nearly head on but luckily I had enough time to swerve. Still dealing with back/neck issues some of the time.
I’m currently in an inter-racial relationship. Most of my previous relationships have also been inter-racial.
My nose is pierced, and has been since I was 15. It’s such a tiny stud though that most people don’t notice it.
I have a problem with going to sleep early. I fight sleep like a child would, as I usually don’t want the next (work) day to come.
I love baking! A Kitchen Aid stand mixer is definitely on my wish list, and has been for a long time. But I’m waiting until I get married so I can put it on my bridal registry, just because I think it’s one of those gifts I shouldn’t have to buy myself.
I’m a mediocre cook at best. But I keep trying!
I wish that I could eat nachos, french fries, pizza, burgers, chips etc. all the time and not get fat or clog my arteries.
I’m a beer girl, have been for a looong time. Especially wheat beer (or hefeweizen as it’s properly called). Oh but I’ve learned to love wine. It’s so civilized (ha).
I’ve never been to Europe, but am dying to go. Insert sad face.
I wish that I could live in New York for a year – I think it would be the most amazing experience.
I often treat my parents like children. They more often need my guidance than I need theirs.
I was adopted. By my Grandma. But you might already know that.
I didn’t meet my biological father until I was 8, and I was very resentful of him for it for many years. I’ve learned to accept it though, because people can’t be what you want them to be just because you wish or hope for it.
I have a half sister that lives with her Mom in Costa Rica.
I’m a loyal blackberry user. I’m praying for a comeback because I really hate the idea of having a phone with no buttons.
I’m an anti-Apple hypocrite. I’m not a fan of the iphone obsession but I have a macbook that I love and use my BF’s ipad often.
I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, but am so glad that I left before I could remember an Edmonton winter.
If money were no object, I’d take a professional certification course to become a make-up artist. Not sure if I’d use it on anyone other than myself though.
I love love love going to concerts. Anything live is usually amazing. Favourites so far: John Mayer, Usher, The Black Keys, U2 (duh).. and many more that I can’t even remember right now.
I also love sporting events – especially NFL games and Vancouver Canucks games.
I’m a HUGE procrastinator when it comes to work/school. Why do you think I’m 28 and don’t have my degree yet?
I hope to get married at 29. Shh don’t tell the BF. I know age is just a number but I’d like to be married before I’m 30. Then travel and hopefully a baby at 32. In a perfect world.
I would love to do style posts… when I get more style. I don’t think I’m un-stylish, just that I need to put in a bit more effort before I get to the level of some of my favourite bloggers.
I was the first person in 2 generations of my family to graduate high school on time and actually go to college. Even if I haven’t graduated yet.
Extra one I just thought of: I am nice to people that I meet but have a really hard time making new friends. I’m so not good at putting myself out there.

Well there’s a little bit about me. Questions? Comments? Crickets??

I Got My Bonus!

In a word: Halleluyerrrr (in a Madea voice of course)!

And I already spent it all (naturally, since I can never seem to keep money in my account). How did I spend it? On debt and savings! I threw $500 into my tax free savings account and brought my credit card debt down to $9,500 – which is WAY better than the $14,500 I started the year with. I really need to figure out how to do a debt and savings tracker on my sidebar, but so far, google hasn’t shown me an easy enough way that my little pea brain could understand.

(Speaking of my lack of blogging know-how, I signed up for a blogging mentorship program that starts in April I believe. I’ll fill you in once it gets going, but I’m excited to learn more about the ins and outs of blogging.)

Back to the bonus/work situation.. I got my bonus, as well as approval for the company to cover my education expenses (this is huge as it could be up to $10,000 over the next two years) as well as reimbursement for half of the value of my macbook! All total that means I’ll get about another $1,800 back. Huge score for me! However, my boss did kind of try to jerk me around over a few of the issues I brought up (like trying to delay my bonus for another three weeks after we already agreed to the amount) and he told me that I need to wait until my 2 year working anniversary (of being full-time that is) to discuss some kind of raise. He said that we’ll have another sit down once he’s back in town in 3-4 weeks to discuss things further as our meeting was a bit rushed. I have to just say that I’m pretty darn proud of myself for going after what I wanted and thought I deserved, and for getting most of what I asked for.

In the meantime I have a meeting on Monday with a recruiter about a junior property manager position. I’m not that interested in the position to be honest, but I want to learn about the employment market and what kind of salary the position offers, along with making a contact in the industry so that in case things don’t get better at my current job that I have some other options close at hand.

I do have a confession to make though: my credit card bill is going to go up again in the near future. Why? Welllll I’m going to Vegas in two weeks! My Mom (actually my grandma for all those that read my family history post) officially retired in January – woohoo for her! She still continues to work part-time as finances are pretty tight and they (her and my dad) didn’t save very much for retirement, but at least she can pick and choose when and where she works. Anyhow, a few months ago she started asking my aunt and I to take her to Vegas since she’s never been and she’s always wanted to go. I originally said I couldn’t make it as the boyfriend and I were planning to go to Europe and I was saving all my vacation days. Alas, things changed and since we’re not going to Europe I said that I would go to Vegas. My aunt and I will split the cost for my mom and pay for ourselves, and I figure the whole trip will set me back about $1,000. Sorry, but I’m not sorry. It’s a momentous occasion for Mom and I’m looking forward to a few days away for myself. I know it’s not for everyone to go on vacation while digging out of debt, but I’m doing it anyway.

Thanks for reading as always. Hope you’re having a great weekend. Boyfriend and I are meeting friends for brunch in a few hours and Louie will be spending some quality time with his uncle (BF’s brother).

Here’s a photo of my little love just ‘cuz:

Louie being all serious for about 30 seconds

Love him more than words!

Quick Update on Work

I’ll keep this short and sweet since I’m currently at work, but I really wanted to get this out there.

Everything is still in limbo over here, and my boss is leaving for 3-4 weeks tonight. He didn’t contact me last week like he was supposed to, but I kind of expected that. In the meantime I have been applying for jobs and actually was contacted by a recruiter about an opportunity before I started sending out resumes. That opportunity wasn’t really a step in the right direction for me so I passed. I need to be patient and remember the phrase ’better the devil you know than the devil you don’t’.

Yesterday when my boss was leaving for the day to meet a friend, I told him that I have something important that I need to talk to him about before he leaves on his trip. And you know what happened? He took me seriously! He asked if I needed to talk to him right away or if it could wait until tomorrow (today now). And I said that it was important but could wait one more day. So he suggested we go for lunch today.

So what’s so important? I’m going to tell him that I was contacted about a new opportunity, but I’m going to make it sound a bit better than it is if I have to. I figure that this will put me in a strong position to negotiate. I am banking on the fact that he doesn’t want me to leave; especially not when he’s about to leave the country for 3-4 weeks.

So here’s what I’m going to ask for:

my full 10% bonus that I was supposed to get in December, as well as a guarantee that he won’t mess around with me in terms of my bonus in the future;
a good raise of at least 10% (although 20% would be ideal), and I’m going to ask that it be back-dated to the beginning of January. I’m not sure he’ll go for back-dating but I feel that I deserve it and that I should ask;
tuition reimbursement with no limit. He can write it off as an employee benefit on his taxes and I think it’s only fair if he sees me as a valued part of his future;
reimbursement for a portion of the macbook I bought last year. I was reimbursed for half of the value of my previous laptop since I’m expected to do some work from home so I think this should continue;
- 4 weeks holidays plus Christmas off instead of the 3 weeks that I currently get. I’ve been with him for 5 years, so 4 weeks is standard – but 3 of the years that I have worked for him were part-time. I will throw it out there and hope for the best but not be surprised if he says no;
more flexibility to work from home. My commute takes upwards of 2 hours return some days and I hate it. I have a company cell phone and remote access, so I don’t see why this should actually be a big deal. This was actually one of the things he used to sell me on accepting his job offer – that I would have much more flexibility with my time. This hasn’t turned out to be true so I need to force this issue.
- to not be jerked around or disrespected in the future. I know that no working relationship is perfect, especially being that I am basically his right-hand, but there’s definitely room for improvement. He has to understand that he piles everything on me and that sometimes it’s too much. I shouldn’t be doing his work and the operations manager’s work in addition to all of my work for 3 companies and all of his other investments.

Well that turned into an unexpected rant – so much for keeping it short and sweet!

If today doesn’t go as I hope I have a feeling I’ll be tendering my resignation in the next few weeks while he’s out of the country. I don’t expect to get everything that I want, but I am hoping to get at least 75% or more of what I’m asking for in order to be happy to continue working here. I know what I deserve and what I want, and now it’s time to stop being a push-over.

Wish me luck that all goes well today!

Really not loving my job..

I know I missed the Sunday update. I just wasn’t feeling it, so I decided to give myself a break. Instead of playing catch up, I’d rather share something that is causing me a lot of stress – my job.

Five years ago, I was a leasing coordinator in corporate real estate. Basically I prepared and tracked legal contracts for the leases of the land used for bank branches. I was a bit bored, and felt that I wouldn’t get promoted in the near future because I worked in a small department. So I answered an ad for a real estate/personal assistant, and met my current boss. I agreed to help him to manage his family’s properties in my spare time, as he was busy with his other companies (namely a limousine company and a few other investments).

Eventually he let me know that he was looking for someone full-time and that he wanted me as I knew about the companies and we had already been working together for about three years at this point. I weighed my options and eventually accepted his offer, hoping that someday I would be running one of the companies or even a new company.

For the first year I managed the properties and did a lot of personal assistant crap that I was too qualified to be doing. Then the operations manager at the limousine company was unceremoniously fired in April of 2012 and I stepped in to help clean up the mess. My workload doubled and I moved over to the limousine office. I put in extra hours and answered more phone calls and e-mails on weekends than ever before. In August of 2012 a new operations manager was hired but none of my workload was given to her until January as she spends 20-60% of every week shmoozing clients alongside my boss at his request.

Then in September my boss bought another limousine company and asked me to take all of the reservations and work on the marketing and management etc. It added another 5-10 hours to my work week, but I got a bit of commission out of it so I didn’t mind.

All in all I’m miserable. I haven’t received a raise in two years, even though my workload has increased by more than 50%. My boss is an overgrown child that doesn’t do a lot of work himself but sometimes likes to call me out if I misplace a piece of paper. I get bogged down doing ridiculous personal assistant tasks that I can’t stand (like reading books for his book club and writing book reports, sending him contact cards, scheduling meetings – all stuff that he should be able to do himself but is too self-important to actually do). I have to answer for every property management transaction to his entire immediate family, and deal with their monthly dramas of one family member accusing another family member of stealing or other misconduct.

I’m just so over it! But now what? Do I throw away the potential opportunities that I could have? Do I go back into real estate full-time? I don’t want to be a leasing coordinator anymore; I think I’ve gained enough management experience to move past being a leasing coordinator. I’ve been applying for jobs that seem a bit out of my reach in terms of experience and hoping that it will result in an amazing opportunity. I don’t really know what else to do. I won’t quit without having another job lined up. I’d rather just stick it out and at least have a pay cheque. I have tried to talk to my boss to let him know that I am not happy. He won’t make the time for me, and I think that is one of the most frustrating parts of all this – that he doesn’t have enough respect for me to even take me seriously or hear me out. He would have to hire three people to do my job if I left, but he thinks that I’ll just take whatever crap he deals me forever.

What to do? I’m at such a loss. Thanks for letting me get these words of discouragement and negativity out. I’m hoping that this will help me to let it go. I don’t want to be the miserable person that I feel like I’m becoming these days (at least at work). I dread going to work or getting an e-mail or phone call for them, and I don’t want my life to be like this.

The Sunday Update 1/27/13

Sunday again already? Time’s flying and I can’t believe January is almost over.

How is everyone’s weekend going? My boyfriend just left for another week to work on a project in Scottsdale, AZ. I can’t wait until his work travel is over but luckily after this trip he has no other work trips scheduled. We talked a lot this weekend about future goals: savings goals, potential wedding plans, travel plans etc. It was pretty exciting! We are thinking of putting the Italy and Greece trip off until it’s honeymoon time. It breaks my heart, but I know that if I want to pay off my debt AND save for a wedding that I need to get real about my priorities. Sadly money doesn’t just grow on trees. If the right deal comes along to go anywhere in Europe then I might just have to snap it up though.

On to checking in with my goals from last week:

1. Go through my closet and at least attempt to sell unwanted items on ebay. STILL IN PROGRESS (but going quite well). I’m up to almost $400 in sales. My e-bay seller account is chelsea_s604 if anyone wants to take a look – I’m purposely listing stuff for ridiculously cheap prices because I just want to get rid of it. I have a lot more stuff that I’ll be adding this week, meaning that I need to post many more items!

2. Spend less than $100 on discretionary expenses such as restaurants/groceries etc. I didn’t track my expenses down to the penny, but I’m going to give myself a PASS! This coming week might be tough because there’s a two week event in Vancouver called Dine Out where a lot of restaurants offer set menus at reduced prices. So because of that I’m finally going to check out Market by Jean-Georges. It’s been on my list for a few years so I’m pretty excited to try it, especially with 3 course menus for under $50 (regular prices are $100+). Other than that I have tentative plans with another friend.

3. Talk to my boss about various things. FAIL. He was sick for most of the week. I did send him an e-mail saying I want to get this resolved and he said we will talk this coming week. I’m so frustrated at this point that I’ve actually started looking at other jobs. I work my tail off, I’m his right hand person and I feel like I haven’t been treated well by him in months. If I can make more money with less stress then maybe it’s time to start applying. I updated my resume this past week just in case it comes to that.

4. Make it to work every day by 7:00AM. SEMI-FAIL. I did a lot better though! Boyfriend is going through busy season at work so he has been getting up with me which makes it soo much easier.

5. Finish another module for the course I’m currently taking. FAIL. I need to make time! No excuses!

6. Figure out how to link to other blogs and work on interacting more with other bloggers. PASS. I’ve been commenting on other blogs and working on some updates.

7. Wear some kind of jewelry every day. PASS. This past week it was my watch or diamond stud earrings. I have been planning work outfits the night before which makes it so much easier in the mornings too.

8. Don’t buy any new clothes! PASS. Temptation is in overdrive! Rather than buying anything though, I put my 2013 wish list into a document though with screenshots of the actual items for sale. Oh and boyfriend bought me one of the items on the list while he was in Vegas. His mom had sent money for me for Christmas (so sweet) so I told him to keep him and put it towards a sweater from BCBG, which ended up being marked down like crazy. Score for me!

9. Post 3 times. FAIL. Need to work on this. I did post about my family though which was therapeutic in a way.

I don’t think I’ll add any more goals this coming week. I’d rather just focus on the ones that I already have…

So that’s it for me on this rainy Sunday. I hope you’re enjoying the weekend!

I’ll leave you all with a funny one of Louie sleeping on the floor of my car. He sleeps in a lot of weird places and positions.

A Family Reunion. A Family History.

Time to get real.

A few weeks ago one of my cousins contacted the whole extended family (on that side) about a family reunion. I’ve never met half of my extended family, and the other half I haven’t seen in years. The main reason why we’re all disconnected? Family drama.

I should back up a bit first.. My Grandma K had 5 kids, of which the oldest daughter is my biological mother. Grandma K had it rough; disowned by her parents for marrying the abusive husband (that she left in the 70s before there were even women’s shelters) and having 5 kids close in age. She left him though, and then she struggled. And those 5 kids struggled, and everyone had it very rough to say the least. Grandma K made some bad choices involving crime and substance abuse. One thing is for sure – my grandma was wilder than I will ever be. In any event, my Grandma K eventually found a new husband: a black man (heaven forbid) who our close family members typically call Pops.

How do I fit into this equation? When my mother was 18 she got pregnant with me. My father? Well they were never exactly together, and I didn’t meet him until I was 8. My mother wasn’t ready for children at 18, and from what I’m told she left me with babysitters quite often, until… Until Grandma K and Pops caught on. The story goes that one day they went and got me from one of the babysitters and never gave me back to my mother. Grandma K and Pops straightened out and they raised me the best way that they could. Grandma K and Pops are Mom and Dad to me, because they are the ones that were always there to love me, take care of me, and support me as I have grown up and continue to grow.

Whew! I can’t believe that I am sharing this information with anyone that chooses to read it. This is not something that I tell most people. Most people just don’t really get it.

Anyways, back to the reunion part of the story. Grandma K was disowned by her parents and has struggled throughout the years with her brother and three sisters. She has at times been very close to her sisters but there has also been a lot of drama. The thing that gets to me, as her daughter, is the way they have all judged her and mistreated her. Yes, she has made mistakes in the past. However!! She has done some truly amazing things in her lifetime. After turning her life around, she became a community support worker and to this day works in women and children’s shelters. Talk about a fitting career! She also adopted two grandchildren (yep, not just me) and has spent decades making up for her mistakes. She is truly the most beautiful person that I have ever known.

So now we’re all supposed to attend this family reunion. And I am nervous.. Not for me but for my Mom. I’m very protective of her and if any of those so-called family members makes her feel bad about herself, well they will have to answer to me.

Stay tuned; I’m sure there will be more updates on this topic!

And if you read the whole post – thank you. I’m sure that I’ve probably confused you as it is a quite confusing tale. If you’re curious about any parts of the story, feel free to ask.

The Sunday Update 1/20/13

My week has been pretty quiet, mostly because the boyfriend is away in Las Vegas. A little story about that..

He was finished with the business portion of the trip on Friday evening, but he wanted to stay until Sunday morning so that he could go shopping Saturday (yesterday). He was booked for a 7:00AM flight. Well last night he went out drinking and to the casino rather than having an early night like he promised. What do ya know? He missed his flight! Now he doesn’t land until 7:00PM tonight. To say that I’m angry would be a huge understatement. This is a guy that has been to Vegas 5-10 times, and this was a work trip! Not to mention that today is NFC and AFC championship day and we had planned to watch the games together.

Deep Breath. Moving right along..

Let’s see how I’ve done this past week in terms of goals:

- Go through my closet and at least attempt to sell unwanted items on ebay. IN PROGRESS. I’ve taken 90% of the photos and posted 17 items so far. Comment or e-mail me if you’d like a link to my seller account (there’s jewelry, designer bags, and a lot of size small/medium clothes).

- Spend less than $100 on discretionary expenses such as restaurants/groceries etc. FAIL, but I’m okay with it. I signed up with lumosity for a year (so necessary for me) and went for dinner with a friend and lunch with another friend. I didn’t waste too much money on useless junk for myself.

- Talk to my boss about various things. FAIL. He wasn’t in the office Wednesday – Friday, so there wasn’t much of an opportunity. I need to resolve this in the next two weeks before he leaves for vacation for a month.

- Make it to work every day by 7:00AM. MEGA FAIL. I don’t think I made it to work once this week before 8:00AM. I sucked it up and dealt with the horrendous traffic.

- Spend time with people that I have missed lately. PASS. I got to see two friends I haven’t seen in a while, made tentative plans with another, and spent a lot of quality time with my parents. It was wonderful!

- Finish another module for the course I’m currently taking. FAIL. Work was stressful and I was lazy. I need to prioritize better. I try to tell myself to spend two hours a day but I really need to find the motivation to be consistent about it.

- Figure out how to link to other blogs and work on interacting more with other bloggers. SEMI-PASS. In my last post I referenced another blogger’s post, but I haven’t figured out how to link up. I have commented on some blog posts and tweeted to some bloggers.

- Wear some kind of jewelry every day. PASS. Most days it was either my pandora bracelet or my watch.. but better than nothing!

So basically I have a long way to go! But you know what? It feels really good to write things out and post them so that I can check in and see how I’m doing. I’m hoping it will help my productivity level. Most of these goals will continue into next week. Here’s a few more to add:

1. Don’t buy any new clothes! Lately I’ve been feeling the temptation pangs and thinking I really ~~need~~ want to add some new clothes to my closet. But I really don’t need anything!

2. Post 3 times.

Updates:

Louie is all better, thank goodness! I was so worried that I had maimed him for life! But the limp is gone and he is back to his usual bratty but loveable self.

Going through my closet was so eye opening! I discovered that I only love about 20% of the items (and there are a lot of them); how sad is that? I really need to stick to not making impulse purchases and make sure that anything I do buy has been on my Wish List for at least 30 days. Also I need to focus on quality verses price. It’s always better to spend more on something you love rather than buying something just because the price was good but that you will never wear. This ties into the new goal I added as well.

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend! I will be watching football all by my lonesome today and hopefully going to bed early.

Here’s a new photo of Louie just to end things on a bright note:

He’s so good at the “Not Impressed” expression.